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About Me

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This blog is an amateur photographer's attempt to show how beautiful the world really is. He is drawn to the colors of nature like a moth to a candle light. What are showcased here are nature's grand display of colors at sunrise and sunset, beautiful beaches and off-the-beaten track locations in his beloved Philippines, waterfalls and some of nature's great sculptures, architectural gems, and other views from around SE Asia that he was fortunate to see at one point.

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December 31, 2011

Lantaw looks back at 2011


Blue Steel Sunrise

With just a few hours left in 2011, I'm looking back at a very fruitful year. I've been to new places and met new friends. I'd like to share the highlights of 2011 in a series of photos. I have a lot of favorites for this year, so it was a bit of challenge which ones are included in this post.

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December 26, 2011

kuala lumpur: petronas twin towers and city lights


Petronas Twin Towers

There is always magical about dusk as it falls on a city. As the lights start to shine, a city is transformed from a grey jungle to a lively and colorful place. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, is one such place.
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December 24, 2011

2011: Merry Christmas from South Cotabato!


Merry Christmas from South Cotabato
May everyone have a Blessed and Merry Christmas! Here's some Christmas colors from my hometown, taken during a quick break from preparing our Christmas dinner (there is always time for photos :D)
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December 22, 2011

putrajaya: revisiting masjid putra


Towering Putra Mosque

While some are contented with visiting a place once, filling their memory cards with shots, and then moving on to the next spot, I firmly believe that it takes several visits before you can get the shots you want. Condition varies all the time, weather and the quality of light changes on a daily basis. So for the second day in a row I revisited Putrajaya Mosque at sunrise.
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December 20, 2011

putrajaya: putra mosque for the first time


Putra Mosque in Blue Hour

I recently got a free trip to Putrajaya, a beautiful “planned city” about 25 kilometers southwest of Kuala Lumpur, for the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards 2011. While some of the invited bloggers probably got down to planning what to wear for that gala event - it’s the “Oscars” of the Asia Pacific blogsphere after all, I got busy to planning what to shoot in Putrajaya.
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December 11, 2011

makati: ayala symphony of lights 2011


Ayala-Symphony of Lights 10

Now in its third year, the Ayala Symphony of Lights in the Ayala Triangle (near Makati Stock Exchange) continues to draw and amaze crowds.

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December 6, 2011

Photographer of the Week (Picture Perfect/Manila Bulletin)



I'm honored to be the featured photographer for this week's Picture Perfect section (December 7, 2011) of Manila Bulletin (Philippine's leading newspaper). I'll update this post with excerpts from the article (a great feature written by Yugel Losorata) as well as insights behind selected photos included in the feature.
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December 1, 2011

nueva vizcaya: salacsac pine forest and malico fields


Malico Cabbage Fields 1

If you like those "places at the end of the road", then you'll feel right at home in Malico or Salacsac.
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November 29, 2011

Lantaw is Best Photography Blog in the Philippine Blog Awards 2011 (Mindanao)


Lantaw is Best Photoblog in PBA 2011 for Mindanao!

Thank you Philippine Blog Awards! I was not able to attend the awards night in General Santos last November 26, 2011 so I'll just point you to PBA's FB page for some of the photos of what I heard was a very successful and fun evening.

Update: December 3, 2011

One of the post in this blog won the Top Photo Post award in the recent Philippine Blog Awards 2011 (National Level). Here a link to the winning post.
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November 26, 2011

taal town: panutsa factory


Panutsa Factory

If you've been to bus stations for traveling to the provinces, which I figured most of us have as buses are the most common mode of transport here in the Philippines, most likely you've bought some snacks and local sweets. Ever wondered how these flat peanut filled panutsa (or panocha, or bandi) are made?
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November 21, 2011

taal town: a smugmug photowalk


Basilica de San Martin de Tours

Though I've been to Taal a couple of years ago, I welcomed the chance to revisit it with old and new friends. So when the local SmugMug group organized a photowalk I did not hesitate to sign up.
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November 16, 2011

manila: kalesa by the crossroads


Kalesa sa Roxas

A kalesa (horse drawn carriage) in a street corner in Roxas Blvd right across Rizal Park. The kalesa is a quintessential symbol of old Manila and can usually be seen in the Intramuros (famous Walled City) and Rizal Park area.
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November 14, 2011

Lantaw is a finalist in Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards 2011!


nuffnang1

Lantaw joins other finalists in  Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards 2011 - the most prestigious of its kind this part of the globe!
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November 13, 2011

american cemetery in infrared


American Cemetery in IR

Its a surreal place even in "normal light" and rendering it in infrared made it even more eerie.
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November 10, 2011

nueva vizcaya: imugan falls


Imugan Falls 2

I had my sights on Imugan Falls for quite some time now. Several of my friends had visited the place a year or two ago but I had to be somewhere else at that time. After a few failed attempts to go there, one finally pushed through, this time with a blogger friend (DongHo). It’s a 6-hour trip just to see the falls, a trip I was glad to take.
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November 8, 2011

lake sebu: t'boli elder portraits


Waye Kayungan


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October 30, 2011

capones island: sunrise and sunset moods


Capones Mountaintop sunrise

I was excited to revisit this beautiful rock just off the coast of Zambales. After a series of nasty typhoons, several ones in the span of a few weeks, weather was cooperating.
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October 29, 2011

zambales: more of capones lighthouse


Capones Lighthouse

Though I know that Capones lighthouse has been shot to death by all camera toting beach hoppers (its a requisite side trip for those heading to/from the coves of Anawangin or Nagsasa), I could not help but take a few more for myself.
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October 26, 2011

zambales: capones lighthouse


Capones Lighthouse

Spent the previous weekend in the deserted Capones island in Zambales. More photos to come as I get to sort them. Work's getting in the way :).


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October 13, 2011

sarangani: lowtide sunrise by the mangroves


Sarangani Lowtide Sunrise

Have you ever got that feeling that you were exactly in the right place at the right time after taking an image? Well this is one of those images that made me feel that way.

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October 10, 2011

vietnam: mekong delta's brick making (ben tre)


Rollin' down the river

Just one hour away from the hustle and bustle of Saigon is the lush water world of Mekong Delta.

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October 2, 2011

laguna: dawn breaks in sampaloc lake


Sampaloc Lake: Preparing for the day

Sampaloc Lake is often described as the largest and the most beautiful lake of the seven lakes in San Pablo in the province of Laguna.

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September 27, 2011

vietnam: a night in can tho


Siêu Thị Maximax Gentraco

Although our main purpose in Can Tho was to see Mekong Delta’s rural side, I welcomed the chance to have a glimpse of the town’s urban area during a short night stroll.

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September 25, 2011

vietnam: vinh long public market


Lady Biker

A quick stop in the public market along the Mekong River presented an opportunity to check out the street scenes in Vinh Long and maybe buy some local fruits .

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September 16, 2011

vietnam: saigon's landmarks and tourist traps


Saigon City Hall

Although we only stayed in Saigon on the last part of our visit to Vietnam, I thought I’d start my series of posts with some of the recognizable icons (places and buildings) that are usually associated with Ho Chi Minh.
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September 11, 2011

lake sebu: hidden traangkini cascades


Lake Sebu's Traangkini
Looking for an alternative destination in Lake Sebu? Try the refreshingly cold cascades of Traangkini. Most would surely head first to the 2nd Falls for the zip line in Lake Sebu, but if you are looking for a quiet place to cool down, the cascades of Traangkini is the perfect place.
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September 4, 2011

lake sebu: profile of a young T'nalak weaver


Portrait of a Young Dreamweaver

By just looking at the portrait, one cannot imagine that this beautiful young T'boli lady is one of the masters of an art that has been handed down from mother to daughter for ages.

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August 21, 2011

lake sebu: random images of a beautiful place


Lake Seloton Monochrome Sunrise
sunrise in Lake Seloton

Lake Sebu is one of those places that has this tendency to tug incessantly at your heart. It beckons you to return again and again. You happily give in and rediscover the place anew. Just when you think you've seen everything there, it gives you another set of beautiful memories.

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August 7, 2011

adams: anuplig, maligligay, inuwayan, and cabacan falls


Anuplig Falls Downstream
Adams' poster falls: Anuplig

If there is one place where you have access to dozens of waterfalls in hiking distance of each other, that would be Adams in Ilocos Norte. Tucked in a lush green valley and surrounded by rain forest, some consider this small town as the "land of waterfalls". The signages around the town pointing you to trails leading to various waterfalls further reinforce that title.

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July 23, 2011

adams: lovers' peak mountain light


Lovers' Peak Mountain Light
mountain light

Literally just at Adam's backyard, this one is about 30 minutes walk from where we stayed. It offered one of the best mountain views of sunrise I've seen.

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July 17, 2011

adams: ilocos norte's garden of eden


Welcome to Adams. Population: 1800
welcome to Adams, population: 1800

A small town - the smallest in the Philippines with only 1 barangay, nestled in a valley surrounded by pristine rain forest near the northern edge of Luzon. It was our home for two stress free days. Limited cellphone signal (currently only Globe works), no 3G, no emails.

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July 6, 2011

mansalay: hanunoo mangyans of oriental mindoro (elders)


Hanunoo Mangyan Elder
a Hanunoo elder displaying one of his prized possession: the bolo

The Hanunoos are one of the 7 Mangyan tribes in the island of Mindoro. Of the Mangyan tribes, only they have their own script. The Hanunoos are concentrated in the town of Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro where they settled in 53 sitios (small villages).

Here are some of the interesting personalities I've met one weekend in Sitio Hawili in Brgy Panaytayan while doing outreach work with some volunteers from Black Pencil Project:

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July 2, 2011

black pencil project: mangyans of mansalay


Mangyan Colors
colors of Mansalay Mangyans

Could we change lives given just a weekend? With the right group of dedicated individuals, we easily can.

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June 17, 2011

gensan: tuna capital of the philippines


Tuna Weighed and Classified
tuna bounty

I'm sharing morning scenes at the Gensan fishport where the tuna bounty is unloaded and hauled, weighed, classified, and sold. Gensan is considered to be the Tuna Capital of the Philippines - processing tons of tuna daily, from yellowfin to skipjacks.

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May 28, 2011

sarangani: sublime dawn by the mangroves


Maasim Sturdy Mangrove at Dawn
epitome of serenity

Sometimes you have to go back to familiar spots to catch it in a really good light. I was glad I exactly did just that during a weekend trip back home.

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May 17, 2011

silanguin cove: glorious colors on a stormy weekend


Silanguin Cove Afterglow
Silanguin's sunset colors

I had the chance to revisit Zambales' grand cove. This time with a group of outdoor photography enthusiasts from the company I work for (yup, I too have a day job).

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May 6, 2011

baguio: mines view sunrise


Flower Patch in Sunrise
a flower patch in Mines View

Even one of the most famous tourist trap in Baguio, Philippine's quintessential "summer capital", looks different (in a good way) during sunrise.

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May 2, 2011

mayantoc: summer capital of tarlac


River Sunset
fiery river sunset in Mayantoc

I have to admit that I've never heard of the town Mayantoc even though I (almost) passed by it countless times whenever I'm passing through the province of Tarlac en route to Pangasinan. An invite from a friend to attend Mayantoc's fiesta patronal led me to discover a rustic town and its charming and hospitable folks.
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April 19, 2011

mayantoc: perya at night


Perya
perya at night

A town fiesta will not be complete without the "perya" or circus/fair. The town's plaza comes to life at night with dazzling lights, rides, freak shows, and hawkers selling just about anything.
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April 10, 2011

tambobong: perfect summer escape


Tambobong/Osmena Uncrowded Beach
perfect beach weather in Tambobong

Looking for the perfect summer getaway? Then head out to the rustic fishing village that is Tambobong.

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March 31, 2011

nagsasa cove: baptism of water and fire


wild fire survivor

It was quite a weekend. Huge waves, strong winds, and blazing wild fires that devastated whole mountains. Nagsasa cove certainly outdid itself this time.

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March 27, 2011

nagsasa wildfire: night of the burning mountains


burning mountains

It was a spectacular sight, and equally horrifying. The whole mountain was ablaze. Loud crackling sound rang through out the cove as trees were consumed. It was so far the largest bush fire or wildfire Nagsasa cove has ever seen.

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March 21, 2011

nagsasa cove: amidst changes


Nagsasa Cove Dusk
cove's twilight colors

This is my second visit to the cove (this year) in a span of just a few weeks. The trip was almost canceled due to the tsunami warning on the Philippine's eastern side a few hours after the Japan earthquake.

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March 6, 2011

nagsasa cove: zambales' not-so-hidden-gem-anymore


Nagsasa Moonset (Full moon)
moonset in Nagsasa

Return to Nagsasa, the not-so-hidden-gem-anymore of Zambales and reconnecting with old acquaintances. This is my 4th visit after two years.

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February 27, 2011

sarangani: mangroves at lowtide and an iconic peak in a beautiful light


Bed of Nails
"bed of nails" - a sunrise in Sarangani province

A recent trip back home a few weeks ago had me chasing low tide sunrise and sunset around Sarangani province.

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February 18, 2011

tambobong: intense sunset in cabacungan cove



the sun goes down in Tambobong

A trip to my favorite spot in Pangasinan once again yielded one of the most amazing sunset’s I’ve seen.

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February 3, 2011

labrador: sunrise by the broken seawall


Sunrise by the broken seawall
a seawall in Labrador

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Outdoor photographers say a picture is sometimes equivalent to damaged equipment, occasional bruises, or worse – broken limbs.

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January 18, 2011

baler: diguisit bay moods


Diguisit Bay
moody Pacific

Huge waves and rugged coastline shaped by the Pacific Ocean characterized the surfing town of Baler. One of the interesting places there is Diguisit bay.  Located in Brgy Zabali, its just a few minutes outside of town proper by tricycle.

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January 10, 2011

tupi: tarsier sanctuary in linan (south cotabato)


Linan Tarsier
a tarsier in Linan

They have become one of Philippine’s tourism mascots, figuring in posters and logos including the most recent Department of Tourism’s (failed) “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” logo. Although they are found in various places in the archipelago (central eastern and southern provinces), most people associate the tarsier with the island of Bohol.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that these endangered primates are thriving practically right in my province’s backyard.

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January 1, 2011

2011: its 1/1/11, a new year and a fresh start


Its a fresh start for 2011

Its the first day of 2011, a new year and a fresh start. 2010 had been a great year, full of exciting travels and new friends. Join me in looking back at the previous year's favorite photos and adventures.

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[name=lantaw] [img=https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8237/8458831412_c95b7dbbae_t.jpg] [description=Loves to shoot nature's grand display of colors at sunrise and sunset, beautiful beaches and off-the-beaten track locations in his beloved Philippines, waterfalls and other natural wonders] (facebook=https://www.facebook.com/lantawphotos) (twitter=https://twitter.com/lantawphotos) (instagram=https://www.instagram.com/lantaw/)